Woman honored for animal advocacy

March 10, 2014

MARTINSBURG - While it takes the efforts of many to promote change, Martinsburg resident Cheryl Durst proved that it only takes one person to be the catalyst.

Through her work with the Animal Advocates of West Virginia, Durst was one of the driving forces behind Senate Bill 347, the Commercial Dog Breeding bill, that passed during last year's legislative session.

For her research and efforts to educate legislators, Durst recently received recognition from the Humane Society of the United States. Durst was one of few around the nation to receive an award plaque from the HSUS, recognizing her advocacy work.

Article Photos

Journal photo by Samantha CronkLocal resident Cheryl Durst displays the plaque she received from the Humane Society of the United States for her work as an animal advocate.

Durst said there was no single event that drew her attention to the hazards of puppy mills, just a growing general awareness of the problem and the desire to be part of the solution.

"I would see different programs on TV, like specials and documentaries, and that really alerted me to the fact that there was a problem. You never want to think that that problem's going on in your community or your state or even the states around you, but it is alive and well everywhere," Durst said.

"It's just horrendous. It's just one more version of factory farming, and the suffering is just tremendous. All dogs are born with an innate sense of the need to be part of a family, and they need to be touched. Some of these dogs, their feet have never even touched the grass," she said.

Once Durst distributed the information to legislators, she said the legislators were "shocked and receptive" to the information and quickly pushed the bill through.

Sen. John Unger, D-Berkeley, was the lead sponsor on the bill, with Sen. Robert D. Beach, D-Monongalia; and Sen. Jack Yost, D-Brooke, also sponsoring the bill.

The bill defines a commercial dog breeder, sets animal housing regulations and necessitates various permits to be able to operate.

When the bill was signed into law, Durst said the feeling of accomplishment was almost indescribable.

"All the years of hard work came to fruition and I just felt like all the hours I spent on research and all of the information I found were more than worth it. It was a great feeling. It speaks well for the state because it's a very comprehensive bill. It's one of the most comprehensive bills in the United States," Durst said.

With one successful advocacy act behind her, Durst said she is dedicated to champion animal rights.

"It took me well into adulthood to become acutely aware of what goes on in the animal world. But once you know, if you have any kind of a heart, you just have to do something," she said. "This is my passion. Animals don't have a voice, and we have to be their voice."

Durst's next campaign will be to pass a state definition of appropriate shelter for animals to allow counties and animal control agencies to better enforce proper housing for pets.

-Staff writer Samantha Cronk can be reached at 304-263-8931, ext. 132, or twitter.com/scronkJN.